US south-east on high alert as storm system could evolve into hurricane

The south-east of the United States is on high alert as an evolving storm system could result in another hurricane just as the region recovers from the impact of Hurricane Francine.

From Florida to Louisiana, the US Gulf coast is preparing for Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine and watching closely how it develops.

AccuWeather is predicting that Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine could become a category 2 hurricane before it reaches the US later this week, and has the potential to grow into a category 3 storm. Wind speeds could reach up to 120mph by Thursday’s landfall.

Should the system develop into a hurricane, it will be named Helene.

There is also risk of spin-up tornadoes across much of the Florida peninsula and parts of the Panhandle, as well as southern Georgia and south-east Alabama. The tornado risk shifts north on Friday into Georgia, eastern Alabama, and south-western South Carolina as well as parts of south-east Tennessee.

An early Monday morning advisory from the National Hurricane Center (NHC) has designated the system as Invest 97L. Though it is not yet called a storm by the NHC, the official tracker describes it as a “disturbance forecast” that is expected to “strengthen over the next few days”.

Tropical storm warnings have already been issued for portions of Mexico and Cuba.

The system is traveling north from the western Caribbean, where it is growing in strength largely from the warm ocean waters there.

The NHC also said the potential cyclone is expected to produce total rain accumulations of 4 to 8in over western Cuba and the Cayman Islands, along with isolated totals of around 12in.

Heavy rainfall will spread into the south-east US starting on Wednesday and continuing through Friday, bringing a risk of both flash- and river flooding.

The potential hurricane comes at a time when the US, along with many places across the world, are seeing an increase in extreme weather events connected to climate change.

Hurricane Beryl previously killed dozens and caused unprecedented destruction across the Gulf coast. Earlier this year, it was reported that hurricanes were becoming so increasingly strong as a result of the climate crisis that scientists were proposing a new category 6 rating to classify “mega-hurricanes”.